3. Methods
3.1 Field surveys
A detailed study of farms of the entire Baoul6 immigrant community (28
households) was executed in Dj6r6-oula village, Tai sub-division. The following
aspects were studied; (a) composition of the household and labour
availability, (b) area cultivated, (c) types of fields, (d) forest/land resources
still available, (e) composition of crop mixtures and spatial distribution of
crop species, (f) soil fertility aspects.
A parallel study was conducted near Tiassal6, about 100 km north-west of
Abidjan in an early Baoul6 immigration area; Figure 1. The conditions are
comparable to those in the Tai region, but longer and more intensive
land-use has led to land shortage and shorter fallow periods.
At Tiassal~ 17 farmers were interviewed, while 20 fields were surveyed and
described.